GETTING ON: MAKE SOMEONE HAPPY (TV)
Summary
One in this comedy series, based on the British series of the same name, about the hapless employees and patients of the Billy Barnes Extended Care Unit at California's Mount Palms Memorial Hospital. In this episode, Dawn hints to Didi that she has a "new boyfriend," and Lydia brings Leonard, Birdy's "gentleman friend," for his weekly visits. Didi visits union rep Paula when she receives a letter stating that Patsy has filed a complaint against her for referring to him a "big, fat fairy," though she protests that she was merely speaking in jest to diffuse an awkward moment. Jenna is dismissive of the hospital's new "make someone happy" campaign, which aims to treat patients more like "customers," and Dawn is highly embarrassed when she spots Leonard and Birdy engaging in sexual behavior and begs Didi to put a stop to it, stating that they handle sex between patients on a "case-by-case" basis. Jenna manipulates her co-workers into buying tickets for her husband's raffle, and Patsy is frustrated to hear that she does not plan to attend the official "make someone happy" orientation session, as she plans to attend a conference in Cleveland at the same time.
The staffers are confused by the presence of Marguerite – pronounced "Margaret" – Macaw, a student nurse who is surveying patients on their contentment with the service at Mount Palms. Jenna begs Paul to "let" her go to the conference, but he tells her to make her own decision before hastily heading off to lunch with attractive new G.I. hire Christine. Patsy summons Dawn and, rather than discussing "last night," as she hopes, he uncomfortably tells her that her patient survey results are very poor so far. Jenna is distressed to spot Leonard and Birdy carrying on their carnal behavior and frets that the nurses are not sufficiently knowledgeable about "geriatric consent," especially in patients with dementia. When Didi and Patsy sit down to discuss her verbal "abuse," Dawn is startled when Patsy dodges Paula's questions about his actual sexuality, and when Didi offers a less-than-sincere apology, Patsy declares that he needs a day to think the matter over. Dawn gives Birdy's twin sons an overly literal description of the problem with Leonard, and when Dawn tries to talk to Patsy about his "issues," he reveals that the entire ward needs a thorough scrub because a bacteria threat. Didi suggests that Patsy being gay would not necessarily preclude his intimate moment with Dawn, and Jenna, learning of the deep-clean plans, voices her disapproval of the new "Mickey Mouse rules." Dawn is alarmed when Jenna informs Patsy that she has spent the day dealing with "inappropriate sexual relationships" in the workplace, and she soon departs for Cleveland in a huff. Didi is pleased to see that Darnell has sent her a gift, and she and Dawn begin the arduous process of relocating the patients for the deep clean.
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: November 30, 1999 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:28:13
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 124875
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Hospitals - Comedy; Aged - Medical care; Nursing homes
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV series, 2013-2015
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Geoff Atkinson … Executive Producer
- Julie Gardner … Executive Producer
- Jane Tranter … Executive Producer
- Mark V. Olsen … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Will Scheffer … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Jo Brand … Executive Producer, Based on the British series created by
- Joanna Scanlan … Executive Producer, Based on the British series created by
- Vicki Pepperdine … Executive Producer, Based on the British series created by
- Lisa Bellomo … Co-Executive Producer
- Courtney Conte … Co-Executive Producer
- Chrisann Verges … Producer
- Amy Hodge … Co-Producer
- Megan Murphy … Co-Producer
- Adam Shepard … Associate Producer
- Howard Deutch … Director
- Laurie Metcalf … Cast, Dr. Jenna James
- Alex Borstein … Cast, Dawn Forchette
- Niecy Nash … Cast, Didi Ortley
- Mel Rodriguez … Cast, Patsy De La Serda
- K Callan … Cast, Susan Dayward
- Ann Guilbert … Cast, Birdy Lamb
- Mark Harelik … Cast, Dr. Paul Stickley
- Patricia Scanlon … Cast, Paula Pepperell
- Harry Dean Stanton … Cast, Leonard Butler
- Kimberly Celemen … Cast, Kitty Doris
- Brandon Fobbs … Cast, Antoine Robertson
- Kelsey Ford … Cast, Christine Waxman
- Graciella Guerrero … Cast, Patient
- Joel Johnstone … Cast, Andrew Cesario
- Lindsey Craft … Cast, Marguerite Macaw
- Jayne Taini … Cast, Lydia Butler
- Jeff Thiel … Cast, Birdy's Twin Son #1
- Jim Thiel … Cast, Birdy's Twin Son #2